When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews,2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they are?”
3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” (Nehemiah 4:1-3)
Thoughts: Whenever something good occurs, including something that seems as good as just rebuilding the wall of a city for its own safety, there are often objections, opposition, and animosity if not hostility. Nehemiah did not focus on the opposition's arguments or their presence. Instead he focused on the work. In football there is a lot of trash talk that discourages or tries to get an edge- but the best answer is the answer shown on the field. Nehemiah doesn't argue with the scorn (4:2 and 6:6) of Sanballat and Tobiah or their plots. He just keeps on going with the work- sometimes posting a guard or encouraging the people to have a shovel in one hand and a sword in the other. The work of the people of Jerusalem continuing and finishing is the best answer to those opposing him. Doing what we know is good and the will of God- is not easy in this world. But the same God who gave Nehemiah and the people strength and focus can give us strength in focus in answering our call to Him.
If you look at how they ridiculed Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem, you see some common patterns of what people do today.
If you look at how they ridiculed Nehemiah and the people of Jerusalem, you see some common patterns of what people do today.
1) He criticized in the company of "yes" men. His army and his nobles would not object to this criticism of the next kingdom over.
2) He mocked their strength- calling those who were building- "feeble"
3) He named their dreams in a mocking way- restore the wall, worship God, finish quickly.
4) He exaggerated their goal- "finish in a day" of course not. Even work blessed by God must take time and effort.
5) He asked, "Can they bring the stones back to life?" Stones are not dead or alive. While some of the limestone was burned and probably cracked, not all the stones were unusable.
6) Tobiah criticized the quality of their work as if they were wasting their time.
2) He mocked their strength- calling those who were building- "feeble"
3) He named their dreams in a mocking way- restore the wall, worship God, finish quickly.
4) He exaggerated their goal- "finish in a day" of course not. Even work blessed by God must take time and effort.
5) He asked, "Can they bring the stones back to life?" Stones are not dead or alive. While some of the limestone was burned and probably cracked, not all the stones were unusable.
6) Tobiah criticized the quality of their work as if they were wasting their time.
Prayer: Lord, help me to not listen to the voices of those opposing me as much as listen to your voice.
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